This creamy corn and zucchini pasta is a summer favorite: light, fresh, and bursting with basil pesto, lots of parmesan, garlic, and garden vegetables. Ready in under 30 minutes, it’s an easy way to celebrate seasonal produce.
Is there anything better than a simple summer pasta?
This creamy corn and zucchini pasta tastes like a big bowl of summer. Bright basil pesto and fragrant garlic mingle with sweet corn and tender zucchini, all finished with plenty of freshly grated parmesan. It’s comforting without being heavy—perfect for warm nights when you want something satisfying but light.
It’s also extremely forgiving. You can adjust the vegetable quantities to what you have on hand, and a little store-bought pesto works just fine if you don’t have homemade on hand. The recipe uses just a small amount of pesto to give the dish a bright, herbal lift.
This version highlights two of summer’s most-loved vegetables: zucchini and corn. If you’re looking for a new way to showcase them, this pasta is a must-try.
This is how I make it
Start by sautéing sweet onion with garlic, then add corn kernels and chopped zucchini. I typically use two medium zucchini and two to three ears of corn, but you can use more or less depending on what’s available. Cook until the zucchini is tender and the corn is heated through.
While the vegetables cook, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook your pasta until al dente. I love long fusilli for this dish because its twists hold the silky sauce, but spaghetti, bucatini, or any long noodle will work well. Remember to reserve about ½ cup of the starchy pasta water before draining—this liquid helps create a cohesive, glossy sauce.
Add the reserved pasta water to the skillet with the vegetables along with a splash of cream, grated parmesan, and a generous spoonful of basil pesto. Warm everything together until it just begins to simmer. The starchy water and cream come together with the parmesan and pesto to form a silky but light sauce that clings to every noodle.
Return the drained pasta to the pan and toss thoroughly so each piece is coated. Finish with plenty of fresh basil and additional parmesan to taste. If the sauce feels too thin, stir in a touch more cream or a bit more parmesan; if it needs more brightness, add more pesto or a pinch more salt and pepper.
The result is a dish that tastes like summer—comforting, fresh, and full of texture. It’s not heavy, but it’s filling enough to serve as a main course. Serve immediately with extra parmesan and a scattering of torn basil leaves.
Simple to prepare and delicious to eat, this pasta is a reliable weeknight meal and a lovely way to enjoy summer vegetables straight from the garden.
It’s cozy and fresh at the same time—solid proof that summer produce can create comfort food that doesn’t weigh you down.
Long live summer!
Creamy Corn and Zucchini Pasta
Creamy Corn and Zucchini Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ sweet onion, diced
- Kosher salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 to 3 ears of corn, kernels cut from the cob
- 2 medium zucchini, chopped
- ½ pound long fusilli pasta (or spaghetti, bucatini, any long noodle)
- ½ cup starchy pasta water (reserved)
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup basil pesto
- ⅓ cup finely grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- Chopped fresh basil, for topping
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the diced onion with a pinch of salt and pepper and cook 2–3 minutes until softened. Add the garlic, corn kernels, and chopped zucchini with another pinch of salt and pepper. Cook 5 minutes, stirring often, until the zucchini is tender.
- While the vegetables cook, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve about ½ cup of starchy pasta water before draining.
- Add the reserved pasta water and the heavy cream to the skillet with the corn and zucchini and bring to a gentle simmer. Stir in the pesto and the parmesan until combined and the sauce is silky.
- Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and toss until the noodles are thoroughly coated in the sauce. Stir in fresh basil. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed.
- Serve immediately with additional parmesan and torn basil on top.
Holy flavor.